Two Seattle churches play different roles during WTO meeting

SEATTLE –  Two United Methodist congregations have played different roles during the events surrounding the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting.

The meeting drew both delegates and a wide variety of protesters and activists during the week of Nov. 28.

First United Methodist Church's downtown location made it a prime gathering place, rest stop and forum for human rights activists and environmentalists.

Meanwhile, in north Seattle, the homeless who normally live on its downtown streets found a haven at Crown Hill United Methodist Church.

At First church, street theater blocked Fifth Avenue, in front of the building, and demonstrators in sea turtle costumes and bright yellow anti-WTO rain smocks gathered for marches throughout town.  Weary protestors sprawled on the lawn and sidewalks leading to the facility.  Lines to the restrooms snaked through the church lobby.  Flyers and placards littered the front entryway.  The telephone rang constantly.

Located only a few blocks from the WTO's main meeting site, the church became a hub for civil discourse.  "Teach-ins" were conducted on issues regarding human rights, gender, agriculture and the environment.

While the church opened its doors as a neutral player in what is being dubbed the "battle in Seattle," the church has a commitment to giving civil discourse a place, said the Rev. Kathlyn James, pastor at Seattle First United Methodist Church.

"The United Methodist Church has always been involved in putting faith into action," James added.  "We are proud to provide a place where people can be involved in witnessing to their faith and acting from their conscience."

The building has been under strain from the thousands of people.  Taxed plumbing has staff members wielding plungers most of the day.  At night, homeless men who have used this church as their shelter for a long time have taken to cleaning up after the day's participants.  "That's been a wonderful outgrowth of all this," James said.  "The men see this church as their home and want it taken care of."

On Nov. 29, the church hosted an interfaith gathering of thousands representing the Jubilee 2000 movement -- people who are calling for the debt cancellation of the world's poorest nations by the world's wealthiest ones.  After the two-hour worship service, they processed down Seattle streets and formed a human chain around the city's exhibition hall, where WTO delegates were meeting in a lavish opening reception.

The day before, dozens of volunteers had set up a makeshift tent city in the parking lot of Crown Hill United Methodist Church to accommodate some of the city's homeless population.

Displaced from downtown streets due to the influx of thousands of WTO delegates, journalists and throngs of protestors, 50 of Seattle's downtown homeless found relief and safety under canvas tents and blue tarps in the north Seattle neighborhood.

Organized by homeless advocacy groups in Seattle, Crown Hill's tent city was one of two outdoor sites being prepared to host up to 100 people during the WTO ministerial conference.  Volunteers from the church have provided food, blankets and coats for the homeless people, while neighbors not even affiliated with the church are chipping in as well.

"One neighbor brought cocoa and cookies the first night," said the Rev. Judy Schultz, pastor of the small-membership church.  "Last night, someone came with a full turkey dinner."

"It's great to feel so welcomed," said one homeless man, sleeping at the site.

At first, the congregation was uncertain about erecting the tent city, according to Schultz.

"We had two meetings to talk about it, using biblical and theological basis for our discussions," she said.  "We're not in compliance with city zoning regulations temporarily, and there was fear about that.  But we talked about Jesus and what he would have done had he had a parking lot to offer homeless people … and suddenly the needs of people were worth risking for."

Church member Jan Anderson was present at the meetings.  "We considered everything," she said, "things that might happen, how we felt personally about having homeless people here, and it finally came down to one thing:  what is the right thing to do to help people?   It was to give them the parking lot."

The tent city will be up until the morning of Dec. 4, when WTO delegates and protestors leave Seattle.

Schug is director of communications for the United Methodist Pacific Northwest Conference.